Something More

Sacrifices

Five chapters to go!

Monday of the 15th Week of Ordinary Time

Christian Anthony's POV:

"Imee! Imee! Someone wants to see you!"

From my hospital bed, I glanced my eyes to where the voice that calls Imee is coming from...there, I saw Kyle, limping through his crutches. Accompanying him is Archbishop Tiroda...who is visibly saddened by the tragic fate that we had encountered.

"Oh! His Excellency! Good to see you!" Catherine turns around Imee's wheelchair so she could see the Archbishop. "What are you doing here at the hospital, may I ask?"

"Well...I heard about the news about the hostage crisis yesterday at the church and...I learned that most of you are badly wounded...so I wanted to see you and pray for all of you."

"Well...it's okay, His Excellency. Don't worry about us." Imee smiles in the midst of the depression that fills the intensive care unit. "I believe that all of us will be cured by God...nobody will be left behind. Trust me."

"...sigh...you're so blesssd, Imee. You are able to have such positive attitude in times like these." The Archbishop pats Imee's head. "But...I'm still sad...not to mention that I'm the last person that Father Jean called before he grappled the hostage taker and shot."

In an instance, all eyes are into Archbishop Tiroda. Nobody knows what happened to Father Jean before he sacrificed his life just to safe us from an agonizing death...until now...

"Oh... I see." Imee, on the looks on her face, wants to know the true story. "If you want, you could tell us the truth...if you hide your last encounter with Father Jean inside you...it will just hurt you for the days to come..."

Motivated by his friend's request, Archbishop takes a deep sigh...and disclosed what he knows about the last moments with Father Jean before his fatal assault with the gunman.

"Yesterday...before noon...after I celebrate a mass in my private chapel...my phone rang...it was Father Jean. I took the call...and I heard him breathing heavily...and gasping for air...

Archbishop Tiroda's Flashback

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Huff...huff..." I heard Father Jean's heavy breathing.

"Huh? Father Jean?! Is that you?! What's happening there?! Are you hurt?!"

"Oh! Brother Art! This is terrible!" I could feel in his voice that Father Jean is trembling. "A crazy man has just entered the church and start firing over us! Imee, Anthony and his friends are in danger!"